Update_MSI is an adware that was designed to display various types of advertisements inside your Internet browser, generate traffic from them, and bring profits to its developers. These ads can appear as coupons, Pop-Up windows, and banners, and they significantly diminish your user experience by overloading CPU and RAM with endless amounts of tasks that have to be processed. This causes your system to work a lot slower and crash, and prevents you from completing any work in timely fashion, as it’s impossible to do so when your computer constantly reloads, leading to data that hasn’t been saved being lost because of it. Redirects to random pages happen at random intervals while you surf, creating additional frustration, and your sensitive information gets collected and sent to various third parties.

It means that your browsing history, search history, download history, IP address, passwords, home address, phone number, and credit card details all get into the hands of cybercriminals, and it can lead to truly catastrophic consequences, like having all your money stolen from digital wallets and bank accounts, and being deprived of an access to other online profiles. Adware like Update_MSI must be avoided because it’s a serious threat and the price that has to be paid if your PC gets infected by it may prove to be too steep.

The good news is, it’s not that difficult to keep it away from the system. Don’t visit suspicious pages unless really necessary, refuse to install browser extensions and plugins offered by them, download files and torrents from sites that can be considered reputable, and opt for a Custom installation whenever there’s a new program that you want to have installed. If you adhere to these guidelines, there won’t be any unnecessary problems and you’ll be able to continue using the computer to the fullest.

Part 1. Remove Update_MSI Automatically

If you have an antivirus software running on your computer, please check for its updates and scan your system. If the problem still persists, download and install one of the recommended anti-malware tools to automatically remove Update_MSI and other malware threats from your PC.

Quick Removal with Plumbytes Anti-Malware

1. You should download Plumbytes Anti-Malware installer to scan your computer for any malware or adware that might infected your computer. Plumbytes Anti-Malware is a trusted software that can detect and remove most of security threats, including adware, ransomware, PUPs, trojans, worms and rootkits.

3. Click “Install” button to start the installation process. The setup wizard will automatically start to download necessary program files to your computer. Once download completed, Plumbytes Anti-Malware will be automatically installed on your computer. The entire installation process takes only 2-3 minutes.

4. Once installed, Plumbytes Anti-Malware will automatically update its antivirus signatures database and then start smart system scan to detect all malware, adware, spyware and other security threats.

If you want to purchase Plumbytes Anti-Malware license key, you can apply PLUMNGZ250 coupon code in order to get a 50% discount.

Double-Check Your PC with SpyHunter 4 Anti-Malware

6. You can double-check your computer with SpyHunter 4 Anti-Malware in order to remove any leftover malware and adware traces. SpyHunter is considered as one of the best and most effective anti-malware tools today. Click the button below to download SpyHunter installation package.

8. When the installation starts, the Setup Wizard will offer a few options and settings that you may want to configure. We recommend just clicking “Next” button to accept the default application settings. You can check out our detailed SpyHunter 4 Anti-Malware Setup & User Guide which can help you to go through the installation process and provide important information about malware scans and program settings.

10. You will see the detailed list of viruses and potentially unwanted applications detected on your PC. Click “Next” button to clear your PC from malicious files, adware and PUPs.

Alternate Recommended Anti-Malware Tools

The following awesome full-scale anti-malware products also have proved their effectiveness against all types of malware and adware. However, some of these anti-malware programs don’t provide a free trial version, and you’ll have to purchase a license key in order to clean your computer from the detected malware and PUPs.

Part 2. Remove Update_MSI Manually (Removal Guide)

Notice: Manual removal guide is recommended to experienced computer users. Incorrect modifications introduced into the Windows operating system, Windows Registry or browser settings may result in serious system fails or software errors.

We’ve created this step-by-step removal guide to help you manually remove Update_MSI and other similar security threats from your computer. Please carefully follow all the steps listed in the instruction below. We’ve attached detailed screenshots and video guides for your convenience. If you have any questions or issues, please contact us via email, create a public forum question or contact us using online contact form. Please add your comments and suggestions to this guide below.

Guide for Windows 10, 8, 8.1 and 7 versions

Sort the installed programs by Installed On date to find recently installed applications. Select the entry for the program you want to remove and click Uninstall button.

Confirm the removal and wait until the program is finished uninstalling.

Guide for Windows XP

Go to Add or Remove Programs tool in the Control Panel.

Sort the installed programs by Date Last Used to find recently installed applications. Select the entry for the program you want to uninstall and click Remove button.

Click Remove button to confirm the removal. Wait until the program is finished uninstalling.

STEP 2: Clean Windows Registry

It’s strongly recommended to clean your Windows Registry in order to remove all entries and registry keys associated with malware or adware. Windows Registry contains all the settings and information for the software applications and user accounts in your Windows operating system. You need to launch Registry Editor utility to make changes to registry.

Apart from this manual instruction, you can try to use the CCleaner Professional program which described below in our guide. This effective program helps to clean and fix Windows Registry.

Guide for Windows 10, 8, 8.1, 7 and XP versions

Click Yes button in the User Account Control window to allow the Registry Editor to make changes.

When you open the Registry Editor for the first time, you’ll see a treeview on the left-hand side that contains all of the registry keys with values and data on the right-hand side.

Once Registry Editor is opened, you need to find and remove registry keys and values created by malware or adware.

Press Ctrl + F (or go to Menu –> Edit –> Find) to open the Find bar.

Look up the name of the malware or adware affecting your PC and type it into “Find what:” text box. Check all checkboxes and then click Find Next button.

Right-click on the located registry entry and click Delete from the context menu. Repeat this process for each of the registry entries associated with malware.

Click Yes button in the confirmation window.

STEP 3: Remove Malware from Task Scheduler

Among a wide variety of adware viruses there are some unwanted programs which don’t change the settings of your browser (home page, search engine etc.), don’t add malicious extensions and don’t appear in browser shortcuts or Windows Registry. However, this fact does not prevent such unwanted applications from showing you tons of pop-up ads, launching your web browser without your consent and redirecting you to unknown third-party websites. The most interesting thing about this type of malware is that these PUPs typically aren’t detected by anti-virus and anti-adware tools through adding some special instructions (“tasks”) in the Task Scheduler of your Windows operating system. So, you should manually find and delete all the tasks created by the malware.

Guide for Windows 10, 8, 8.1 and 7 versions

Expand the tree in the left hand pane and left-click the Task Scheduler Library.

Go to the list of files and tasks in the central pane of Task Scheduler window. Left-click the first task in the list to check its properties. Below you will see general properties of this task.

Next, go to the Actions tab. Check out the information in Start a program line. If you find something like “C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe hxxp://website” or “C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe website” in the Details, immediately delete this task from Task Scheduler.

In order to eliminate the malicious task, right-click the task and select Delete option.

Click Yes button in the confirmation window.

Go through the remaining tasks the same way. Remove the suspicious tasks from your Task Scheduler.

Notice: If you aren’t sure that “C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe hxxp://website” or “C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe website” can be malicious or not, you can check the status of the website on our website or using search engine.

Remove Update_MSI from Web Browsers

If your default homepage or search engine page has been changed without your permission, or you’re having problems with multiple redirects or annoying pop-up and context ads, it means that your browser is hijacked. We strongly recommend you to restore your browser to default settings and clean your browser shortcuts. This step-bystep guide will help you to get rid of any browser hijacker or adware (including malicious browser extensions, plug-ins or toolbars).

Chrome

Removal Instructions for Google Chrome

STEP 4: Restore Google Chrome to Default Settings

You should restore your Google Chrome browser to default settings in order to get rid of browser redirects, pop up ads or other adware infection. All of your stored bookmarks and passwords will stay safe.

Open the Google Chrome browser and click Menu icon in the upper-right corner of the page. Go to the Settings menu.

Scroll to the bottom of the chrome://settings page

And click the Advanced.

Next, scroll to the bottom of the page once more and click Reset button.

STEP 5: Fix Hijacked Google Chrome Browser Shortcuts

In some cases, a browser hijacker may infect shortcuts on your desktop, start menu and task bar in order to cause multiple browser redirects to third-party websites or to show you annoying pop up ads, or even to display fake security alerts. Browser hijackers can do this by adding some extra information to the existing browser shortcuts on your PC. That’s why you need to manually check browser shortcuts to protect yourself from browser hijackers and other adware.

In addition to this manual instruction, below you can find a free and lightweight Shortcut Cleaner utility that can automatically fix hijacked browser shortcuts.

We’ve provided a detailed guide for Google Chrome browser below. However, you can feel free to use this instruction for Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera and other browsers too.

Right-click the web browser shortcut and select Properties option.

If the infected shortcut is pinned at your taskbar, right-click the icon and choose Google Chrome. Next, right-click Google Chrome and select Properties option. Then left-click the selected Properties to proceed.

Go to Shortcut tab. Carefully check Target field (path to executable file). This path line must end with executable file (.exe) of your browser, nothing else. If Target field ends with .bin, .url or any other file extension, it means that your browser shortcut is hijacked by malware.

Below you can find the default paths to executable files of web browsers.

If you detected that browser hijacker had modified the path to executable file, simply remove all unnecessary entries at the end of Target path field. On Shortcut tab, carefully check the Target field and delete malicious [Unknown URL] entry at the end of the system path.

You should also check and modify all other browser shortcuts that can be found in Windows Start Menu, Desktop and Taskbar.

Firefox

Removal Instructions for Mozilla Firefox

STEP 4: Restore Mozilla Firefox to Default Settings

You should restore your Mozilla Firefox browser to default settings in order to get rid of browser redirects, pop up ads or other adware infection. All of your stored bookmarks and passwords will stay safe.

Internet Explorer

Removal Instructions for Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Restore Internet Explorer to Default Settings

You should restore your Internet Explorerbrowser to default settings in order to get rid of browser redirects, pop up ads or other adware infection. All of your stored bookmarks and passwords will stay safe.

Launch the Internet Explorer browser. Locate and click Tools Menuicon in the upper-right corner of the page. Go to Internet options menu.

Once the task is complete, Internet Explorer will ask to restart your computer. Do NOT hurry to restart your PC! Prior to the restart of computer, you need to clean your Windows Registry and clean web browser shortcuts.

STEP 5: Fix Hijacked Internet Explorer Browser Shortcuts

Please follow the steps described in Step 5 of this guide for Google Chrome browser.

Edge

Removal Instructions for Microsoft Edge Browser

STEP 4: Restore Microsoft Edge to Default Settings

You should restore your Microsoft Edgebrowser to default settings in order to get rid of browser redirects, pop up ads or other adware infection. All of your stored bookmarks and passwords will stay safe.

Launch your Microsoft Edge browser. Click Menuicon in the upper-right corner of the page. Go to the Settings option.

Next, click Choose what to clear button to clear all browsing data.

Check all checkboxes in this window and then click Clear button.

Press the Windows logo key + X (or right-click on the ) to open Start Menu. Select Task Manager option. Go to Processes tab and select Microsoft Edge line. Right-click on the found Microsoft Edge and select Go to details option in the properties window.

Scroll the next window and locate MicrosoftEdge processes. Right-click on one of the MicrosoftEdge processes and select End task option.

Click End process button in the confirmation window. Repeat this process and shut down other running MicrosoftEdge processes in the Task Manager.

Opera

Removal Instructions for Opera Browser

STEP 4: Remove Adware from Opera Browser

Unfortunately, there is no special option provided in Opera settings in order to restore this browser to default. However, it’s quite easy to clean your Opera browser from annoying redirects, pop up or any other adware using the following instruction.

Open your Opera web browser. Click Menu icon in the upper-left corner of the page. Go to About Opera option.

Copy the Profile and Cache path lines one after another. (Highlighted in yellow in the screenshot below).

Open Windows Explorer and search the copied paths of Opera Stable program folders. You can also manually locate these two program folders stored on your local hard drive.

Close your Opera browser and then delete all files and subfolders in two located Opera Stable program folders. Only this way Opera browser can be 100% cleared from all traces of adware and browser redirects.

We’ve provided two detailed screenshots below for your convenience.

Profile folder

Cache folder

STEP 5: Fix Hijacked Opera Browser Shortcuts

Please follow the steps described in Step 5 of this guide for Google Chrome browser.

Part 3. Useful Free Utilities for Our Manual Guide

The following small and free applications can help you to execute some of the important tasks which are described in our manual adware removal guide.

RKill – Stops Malicious Processes

If you can’t manually find and terminate malicious processes in the Task Manager, you can download a free Rkill utility by BleepingComputer that stops known malware and adware processes so that your anti-malware software can normally start and run, and remove all traces of malware infections. RKill doesn’t delete any system files, this application only stops a malicious running process. Once RKill finished its execution, you should immediately scan your computer with one of the anti-malware tools listed above.

Shortcut Cleaner – Cleans Hijacked Browser Shortcuts

If you can’t manually fix your hijacked brower shortcuts, you can download a free Shortcut Cleaner program by BleepingComputer that checks your Windows shortcuts and cleans them so that your browser doesn’t redirect to unwanted websites or display pop-up ads. Shortcut Cleaner is also able to clean hijacked Windows registry entries associated with known browser hijackers.

Part 4. How to Prevent Adware Attacks?

If you want to prevent further irritating adware or pop-up ads from infecting your computer, please read and follow the common PC security tips below. These general tips will help to protect your computer against most adware, spyware and malware threats.

Follow These Simple Security Tips

Most of adware viruses typically come bundled with legitimate software. Carefully read all the fine print about what you might be installing with the downloaded software. Opt out of installing the unwanted bundled freeware;

Always select Custom/Advanced option for the type of installation, carefully check every installation step and pay attention to checkboxes;

(Optional) Use Adblock Plus Extension

If you’re tired of intrusive adware infections, we recommend to install a free Adblock Plus extension for your browser. This small and effective tool can help you forget about annoying ads and browser hijackers.

Adblock Plus is a popular FREE open-source ad-blocking browser extension. About 20 million PC users use Adblock Plus on a daily basis. Adblock Plus does a great job filtering out online ads, including pop-ups, banners, browser redirects, adware and more. Adblock Plus also blocks most tracking tools which usually track your surfing activity and browsing history during each browsing session.

Just visit https://adblockplus.org/ website and click “Install” button. Once you install Adblock Plus for your favorite browser, you can customize this extension to fit your personal browsing needs.

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